The Chemical Wedding is the fifth solo album by English heavy metal singer Bruce Dickinson, released on 15 September 1998 through Dickinson's own label Air Raid Records. The record draws some inspiration from the works of William Blake, featuring sung and spoken excerpts of his prophetic works and poetry, and with cover art from his painting The Ghost of a Flea, although the name of the album and its title track derive from the Rosicrucian manifesto the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz. As with the previous album, it featured Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, then a member of Dickinson's solo outfit. This was his last solo album before he and Adrian Smith rejoined Iron Maiden the following year.
Mercenary is the sixth album by the British death metal band Bolt Thrower. It was recorded at Chapel Studios, Lincoln, England, December 1997 to January 1998. The album was produced by Bolt Thrower and Ewan Davis. It was released on Metal Blade Records in 1998.
Eighteen Visions is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California, formed in October 1995. The band broke up in April 2007, less than a year after their major label debut was released through Epic and Trustkill Records. After over a decade of absence, the band reformed in 2017. They announced their sixth album, XVIII, would be released via their new label home at Rise Records.
October Rust is the fourth studio album by Type O Negative. It was released in 1996. This is the first album with Johnny Kelly credited as the band's drummer, although programmed drums are used on the album. October Rust has more ballads and less of the doom metal sound of previous or subsequent albums. It also features a cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl".
Vision of Disorder is an American hardcore/metalcore band from Long Island, New York, that initially released three albums before disbanding in 2002. The band garnered attention for blending melody and groove into a traditional hardcore framework, but its attempts to pursue an alternative metal direction on its fourth album were met with limited commercial success. The band reunited in 2008 and have since released two further albums, The Cursed Remain Cursed in 2012 and Razed to the Ground in 2015.
City is the second studio album by Canadian extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad, released on February 11, 1997. Frontman Devin Townsend assembled a permanent lineup of Strapping Young Lad to record the album, including prolific drummer Gene Hoglan, and Townsend's former bandmates Jed Simon on guitar and Byron Stroud on bass. The album was critically acclaimed, with Revolver naming it one of "the greatest metal albums of all time", and it is widely considered Strapping Young Lad's best work. The album was re-released in 2007 with several bonus tracks and altered cover art.
Raza Odiada is the second album by Brujeria. Brujeria's main concepts are Satanism, revolution, pro-immigration, narcotics and drug smuggling, and related themes.
Inside the Torn Apart is the seventh studio album by British extreme metal band Napalm Death. It was released by Earache in June 1997 on double vinyl, regular CD, digipak CD and MC.
Breed to Breathe is an EP by English extreme metal band Napalm Death, released in 1997 through Earache on CD.
No Holds Barred is a live album by American band Biohazard. It is the first to feature former Helmet guitarist Rob Echeverria, who had joined the band for the Mata Leão tour.
The Action Is Go is the fourth studio album by American stoner rock band Fu Manchu. It features new drummer Brant Bjork (Kyuss) and new lead guitarist Bob Balch, replacing Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano, who left to form the band Nebula. The album was produced by Jay Noel Yuenger of White Zombie, who contributed some additional instrumentation. The album sold 25,000 copies in the United States by May 2000.
The Ethereal Mirror is the second studio album by British doom metal band Cathedral. It was first released on 24 May 1993 through Earache Records, and in the United States on 6 July 1993 through Columbia Records. Earache re-issued the album in 2009 with the Statik Majik EP as bonus tracks and the DVD Ethereal Reflections as DualDisc.
Paegan Terrorism Tactics is the second and final studio album by American sludge metal band Acid Bath. It is the band's last album before their disbanding in 1997 due to the death of bassist Audie Pitre.
No Sleep 'till Bedtime is a live album by Canadian extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad. It was recorded live in Melbourne Australia, on October 12, 1997; however, the live tracks presented here are the only ones recorded before the tape ran out. "Japan" and "Centipede" are new studio tracks that were added by the label as a bonus material. The title is a homage to and parody of Motörhead's No Sleep 'til Hammersmith live album.
Imprint is the second studio album by American metal band Vision of Disorder, released on July 28, 1998, through Roadrunner Records. It was recorded between April 1 and April 19, 1998, with producer Dave Sardy. The album's title is a reference to a permanently scarring knife incident that happened to vocalist Tim Williams. The album's artwork is a hospital photo of William's injury, manipulated on the computer by guitarist Mike Kennedy.
Supernatural Birth Machine is the fourth album by British doom metal band Cathedral, released in November 12, 1996 by Earache.
Relief Through Release is the second studio album by the American band Tura Satana and their first since changing their name from Manhole. It was released in Europe on September 29, 1997, and in the United States in April 1998.
Martin Popoff is a Canadian music journalist, critic and author. He is mainly known for writing about heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, he has written over twenty books that both critically evaluate heavy metal and document its history. He has been called "heavy metal's most widely recognized journalist" by his publisher.
Hate Songs in E Minor is the debut studio album by British rock band Fudge Tunnel. It was originally released in May 1991 through Earache Records, and issued in the United States on 20 August 1991 through Relativity Records. It followed in the wake of two critically acclaimed singles, after which the group were signed to Earache. The album consists of 11 songs, 9 of which were written by the band and 2 covers: "Sunshine of Your Love", originally recorded by the band Cream, while the last track on the disc, "Cat Scratch Fever" was originally recorded by Ted Nugent. The album is also dedicated to Nugent.
1996 is the eighth studio album by Eighteen Visions. It is a covers album surprise-released on July 9, 2021, and the band's first album in four years following XVIII (2017), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band's career without breaking up. According to frontman James Hart, the album is a "collection of 90s hardcore and hard rock songs from bands that helped shape Eighteen Visions and our style".
